The question of whether someone can truly stop being a Christian after proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ is an important one. There are differing viewpoints among Christians on this topic, with some believing it is possible to lose one’s salvation while others argue that true saving faith will endure to the end. Looking at relevant biblical passages can shed light on this debate.
Those who believe Christians can lose their salvation point to verses warning against falling away, such as Hebrews 6:4-6 which says, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance.” Other passages like Matthew 24:13 (“But the one who endures to the end will be saved”) and Revelation 3:5 (“I will blot out the name of that person from the Book of Life”) are also cited.
On the other side, those arguing for eternal security of the believer note Scriptures like John 10:28 where Jesus says, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Romans 8:38-39 also declares nothing can separate believers from God’s love. Ephesians 1:13-14 describes believers as being sealed with the Holy Spirit, and passages like Philippians 1:6 express confidence that God will complete the work he begins in each believer.
Based on an examination of the whole counsel of Scripture, several key conclusions can be drawn:
- Genuine saving faith in Christ will produce spiritual fruit and perseverance (John 15:5-6; Hebrews 3:14). While believers may struggle with sin at times, a pattern of unrepentant disobedience indicates lack of true conversion.
- God finishes what he starts in each believer, giving them new hearts, sealing them with his Spirit as a guarantee of their inheritance, and enabling them to persevere to the end (Philippians 1:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Jude 1:24-25). He preserves those who are truly his.
- Warnings against falling away exhort believers to actively guard against unbelief and disobedience that can harden the heart and shipwreck faith. The warnings motivate perseverance, while passages on eternal security assure believers God will complete his work in them.
- While genuine believers can never lose their salvation, some who profess faith in Christ and identify as Christians fall away, indicating they never possessed true saving faith to begin with (1 John 2:19). Their turning away does not cause them to become an “ex-Christian” but reveals their profession was false.
- Scripture encourages self-examination to confirm one’s faith and warn against drifting away (2 Corinthians 13:5; Hebrews 2:1-3). Believers should heed these warnings and actively nurture their relationship with Christ.
In conclusion, while genuine Christians can have full assurance of salvation, the Bible exhorts self-examination and perseverance. Some who fall away show evidence that they likely never possessed true saving faith. Scripture emphasizes God’s sovereignty in preserving believers to the end while also issuing warnings against unbelief and disobedience that hardens the heart. Genuine faith in Christ will produce spiritual fruit and enable endurance to the end.
The warnings against falling away in Scripture emphasize the importance of perseverance and self-examination without negating the multitude of assurances that God will complete his work in true believers. While some fall away into unbelief, revealing they never experienced true regeneration, genuine Christians can have full confidence in Christ’s promises of eternal security to all who trust in him.
Though Christians may at times struggle and stumble, God remains faithful to sustain his people and preserve them securely in his hands. He who began a good work in them will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). The exhortations to continue in the faith remind believers to actively nurture their relationship with Christ through spiritual disciplines while resting in the assurance that nothing can snatch them from the Father’s hand.
So in summary, while the term “ex-Christian” may describe some who fall away and deny the faith, demonstrating lack of genuine conversion, true believers have no need to fear losing their salvation that is firmly grounded in Christ. God remains faithful to ensure their perseverance to the end. The biblical affirmations of eternal security for genuine believers far outweigh the warnings against falling away – which are meant not to instill fear but to encourage endurance, self-examination, and confident hope in God’s sovereignty to preserve his people.
Though genuine saving faith endures, some who profess Christianity fall away into unbelief, revealing they never truly belonged to Christ. The doctrine of eternal security for the believer should not discourage self-examination but rather motivate perseverance and deep assurance that nothing separates those in Christ from His love. God graciously secures the eternal inheritance of His people, completing the work He began.
The warnings against apostasy in Scripture exhort believers to actively nurture their faith and guard against drifting away from Christ. However, for those who have been born again by the Spirit, possessing eternal life, there are even greater assurances that God Himself will complete the good work He began in them. While some turn away from the faith, revealing lack of genuine conversion, no true believer who places faith in Christ alone for salvation becomes an “ex-Christian.” Their relationship with Him is secure forever.
So in summary, the warnings against falling away serve an important purpose in Scripture, encouraging perseverance and self-examination in professing believers. However, the weight of biblical evidence upholds the eternal security of the saints. While some fall away into unbelief, genuine saving faith endures, ensuring that no true Christian ever becomes an “ex-Christian.” God faithfully preserves His people, completing His work of salvation in each one who trusts in Christ.
Though the Bible warns against falling away from the faith, God provides assurance that He will complete His work in true believers, keeping them secure by His grace and power. Self-examination is important, but those who have experienced authentic conversion can have full confidence in Christ’s promises of eternal life and the Spirit’s permanent sealing. While some professing Christians fall away, revealing lack of true saving faith, no genuinely born again believer ever becomes an “ex-Christian.” Their relationship with Christ remains forever secure.
So in summary, Scripture affirms that genuine saving faith granted by God’s grace will endure to the end, even as it issues warnings against apostasy that encourage self-examination and perseverance. While some who profess faith fall away, proving lack of conversion, true believers are assured of eternal security, never becoming “ex-Christians.” God faithfully preserves His redeemed people, completing the work of salvation He began in them.
The warnings against falling away serve as an exhortation to persevere and evidence that some make false professions of faith. However, true saving faith endures, and God faithfully preserves His elect. So while the idea of an “ex-Christian” may apply to those revealing lack of genuine conversion, believers sealed by God’s Spirit can have full assurance that nothing separates them from the enduring love of Christ.
While those who reject the faith after professing Christ demonstrate lack of true conversion, genuine believers are eternally secure in their salvation. Scripture assures that God will complete the work He began in them, promising eternal life and sealing by the Spirit. The doctrines of the perseverance of the saints and eternal security are firmly grounded in God’s faithfulness to preserve His elect forever. No genuinely born again Christian ever becomes an “ex-Christian.”
So in conclusion, the warnings against apostasy in Scripture serve not to threaten loss of salvation for genuine believers but to encourage self-examination and perseverance. While some fall away, proving lack of authentic faith, true Christians can find great assurance that God will complete His sanctifying work in them, preserving them eternally. No one who has experienced genuine regeneration, being sealed by the promised Holy Spirit, ever becomes an “ex-Christian.” Their relationship with Christ remains secure.
The biblical evidence weighs strongly in favor of eternal security for the believer while still emphasizing the importance of self-examination and perseverance. The warnings against falling away cannot negate the multitude of assurances that God will preserve all those who place their faith in Christ alone for salvation. While some professing Christians turn away from the faith, revealing lack of genuine conversion, no truly born again believer ever becomes an “ex-Christian.” God graciously keeps His own forever secure in Christ by His mighty power.
In conclusion, while the warnings against apostasy serve to encourage perseverance and self-examination, abundant biblical assurance upholds the eternal security of the saints. God faithfully preserves all genuine believers, completing the work of salvation He began in them. There is no need for redeemed sinners to fear losing their salvation that is grounded eternally in Christ’s finished work. The evidence is clear – while some fall away, proving lack of authentic faith, no truly born again Christian ever becomes an “ex-Christian.” Their relationship with Christ remains forever secure.